John Dickerson
You don’t see this very much on network television: CBS This Morning on Thursday allowed a spirited defense of the free market. Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone appeared to promote his new book I Love Capitalism: An American Story. Co-host Bianna Golodryga quizzed Langone as to why Bernie Sanders prompted the billionaire to finally write his memoirs: “You said you were motivated because you saw a whole new generation gravitate towards Bernie Sanders. That bothered you, why?”
CBS on Tuesday fretted over the danger of the U.S. leaving the 2015 nuclear agreement, dismissing Israel’s claims regarding secret new files detailing Iran’s lies. Talking to Condoleezza Rice about the rumors that Donald Trump will exit the deal, This Morning co-host Norah O’Donnell started with the premise that America should stay in: “What is the damage if President Trump withdraws from the accord?”
All three networks on Friday trumpeted the “historic” breakthrough in North Korea, touting “peace at last!” In total, ABC, CBS and NBC devoted 26 minutes and 10 seconds of coverage to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting South Korea. Yet, of that time, a scant 76 seconds (all on CBS) was allowed for pondering what credit Donald Trump deserves.
CBS This Morning co-host John Dickerson has been one of the few journalists calling for some calm in the hyping of James Comey and his new book. On Monday night, he seemed to shock Late Show host Stephen Colbert with tough skepticism. Colbert hailed the ex-FBI director as “setting up all this criteria for going after Donald Trump and talking about ethical leadership along the way.”
Who better than Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential nominee to respond to James Comey’s book tour? Tim Kaine and fellow partisan Democrat Adam Schiff were the only politicians brought on CBS This Morning, Monday, to comment on Comey’s hour-long interview on ABC. Co-host John Dickerson tossed this softball to the man who was almost vice president: “Let me ask you about James Comey. Hillary Clinton said he shivved her. How are we supposed to take this new revelation?”
In a surprising twist, ABC and CBS journalists on Friday were taken aback by the “petty” and “personal” way in which James Comey goes about “settling some scores.” Unlike NBC, which glossed over Comey mocking Donald Trump’s hands, heights and tan. On CBS This Morning, Jeff Pegues highlighted Comey “taking shots at the president... talking about his height and some of his physical characteristics. This is James Comey definitely settling some scores here.”
The journalists at CBS This Morning on Tuesday donated over seven minutes of air time to Madeleine Albright’s shameful attempt to claim that Donald Trump is turning the United States into a fascist regime. Co-host Bianna Golodrygra introduced the liberal ex-Secretary of State by touting her new book Fascism as a warning “that contemporary leaders are turning to the same tactics used by fascists like Hitler and Mussolini nearly a century ago.”
All three networks on Monday bashed Donald Trump’s “twitter tirade” on Easter, lamenting that it “closes the door” on “unauthorized immigrants” in America. An irritated Jon Karl complained on Good Morning America about the President’s tweets: “He's still at it. Continuing an Easter tirade, he attacked both Democrats, Mexico, and the DACA deal as the President is declaring there will be no deal to protect the Dreamers.”
On Monday, the network morning shows collectively wrung their hands over the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, with NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America completely ignoring the fact that Bureau’s own Office of Professional Responsibility recommended the dismissal. CBS This Morning included that information in its coverage, but still blasted the decision as “vindictive.”
After all three network evening newscasts Wednesday night praised President Trump for repeatedly siding with Democrats on gun control measures during a White House meeting earlier in the day, on Thursday, CBS This Morning and ABC’s Good Morning America gushed over anti-gun Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein “cheering” the President on during the gathering.
Given how strongly journalists have used the Parkland shooting to promote gun control, it’s surprising to see a simple realization of how the current debate sounds to half the country. That observation occurred on Tuesday’s CBS This Morning as co-host John Dickerson mentioned his own relatives.
Reacting to Ivanka Trump’s Monday interview with NBC, on Tuesday, the hosts of CBS This Morning hyped the first daughter “drawing criticism” for objecting to a question about allegations of misconduct against President Trump and scolded her for “playing the daughter card.” This was the same morning show that fawned over Chelsea Clinton without asking a single question about Bill Clinton’s behavior toward women.